Bleeding Me Explained

Bleeding Me
Cover:	Metallica - Bleeding Me cover.jpg
Type:	Promotional single
Artist:	Metallica
Album:	Load
Released:	March 11, 1997
Recorded:	May 1, 1995February 1, 1996
Studio:	The Plant Studios, Sausalito, California
Genre:	Hard rock alternative rock progressive rock heavy metal
Length:	8:18
Label:	Elektra
Lyricist:	James Hetfield
Prev Title:	King Nothing
Prev Year:	1997
Next Title:	The Memory Remains
Next Year:	1997

"Bleeding Me" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica from their 1996 album, Load. Although never commercially released as a single, a promotional CD was sent out to radio stations in 1997, and the song would eventually reach #6 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.

"Bleeding Me" is featured on S&M (1999) along with three other songs from Load.^[1]

Lyrics

Like many songs on Load, "Bleeding Me" features some of the most personal lyrics James Hetfield has ever written about.^[2] In a 2001 interview with Playboy, he explained the meaning of the song:

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^{[3] [4]}

Metallica

• James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Kirk Hammett – lead and rhythm guitar^{[5] [6]}
• Jason Newsted – bass
• Lars Ulrich – drums

Production

• Bob Rock – production
• Brian Dobbs – engineering, mixing
• Randy Staub – engineering, mixing
• Jason Goldstein – assistant engineering
• Kent Matcke – assistant engineering
• Mike Fraser – mixing
• Matt Curry – mixing assistant
• Mike Rew – mixing assistant
• George Marino – mastering
• Paul DeCarli – digital editing
• Mike Gillies – digital editing assistant
• Chris Vrenna – digital editing assistant
• Satori – cover design
• Ross Halfin – photography

Track listing

1. "Bleeding Me" (Radio Edit) – 5:57
2. "Bleeding Me" – 8:18

Weekly charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[7]	6
US Active Rock (Billboard)^[8]	2
US Heritage Rock (Billboard)^[9]	15

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Top 20 best metal albums of 1999 . Louder Sound . 21 January 2021 . Metal Hammer . 2 August 2023.
2. Web site: 10 Most Underrated METALLICA Songs . Metal Injection . 2 August 2023 . 18 November 2016.
3. Book: Load liner notes. 1996. Vertigo Records.
4. Web site: Liner notes. Metallica official website. December 21, 2020. November 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126012251/https://www.metallica.com/releases/albums/release-4214.html. live.
5. Web site: 20 Years of Blood, Semen & Haircuts: A Conversation about Load . June 9, 2016 . metallica.com . April 19, 2021 . registration . March 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230302151544/https://www.metallica.com/login/?scope=gated&original=%2Fso-what-article%2F427029.html . dead .
6. Web site: From the Archive: Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett Discuss Their 1996 Album, 'Load'. November 18, 2011. August 9, 2018. September 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210901081954/https://www.guitarworld.com/gw-archive/archive-metallicas-james-hetfield-and-kirk-hammett-discuss-their-1996-album-load. live.
7. MAINSTREAM ROCK AIRPLAY . Billboard . 2 August 2023.
8. ACTIVE ROCK . Billboard . 2 August 2023.
9. HERITAGE ROCK . Billboard . 2 August 2023.